According to Sergeant Mark Lee, the West Windsor Police Department received a call to its 9-1-1 system after which the individual immediately hung up. Officers were then dispatched to the location from where the call was made, arriving at a residence in the Penns Neck area of West Windsor at approximately 12:00 a.m.
The officers reportedly discovered 23-year-old Niall J. McCullagh shouting obscene language in the backyard. He is then said to have pushed one of the officers, hit another in the face, and resisted being taken into custody.
When additional police reinforcements arrived, McCullagh was arrested and is now facing multiple charges, including two counts of aggravated assault on a police officer, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct.
The crimes for which McCullagh has been accused vary in terms of severity, with disorderly conduct being the most minor and the other two charges more serious. For example, resisting arrest in New Jersey is a crime of the third degree if the person uses or threatens to use physical force or violence against the law enforcement officer. In addition, offenses which may otherwise constitute simple assault are upgraded to aggravated assault when the alleged victim is a law enforcement officer or public servant.
Overall, this means that McCullagh is facing three indictable felony charges, which will be heard at the Mercer County Superior Court and may result in a prison sentence. The resisting arrest charge alone is punishable by a term of incarceration ranging from 3 to 5 years in New Jersey State Prison upon conviction, with additional sentences associated with each count for aggravated assault.
Clearly, McCullagh has significant consequences hanging over his head and will need a vigorous defense to combat the aggressive prosecution that can be expected when the alleged victims are police officers.
For additional information pertaining to this case, access the following article: West Windsor man is accused of fighting with police officers responding to 911-call hangup
